Introduction

The chemicals such as fertilizer, hormone, fungicides, insecticide or soil treatment that improves the production of crops are called as agrochemicals. They are used to enhance the agricultural production or to reduce the detrimental effect of pest and diseases. Many agrochemicals are toxic and agrochemicals in bulk storage may pose significant environmental or health risks. It affects the environment and cause health hazards not only after the application but also during its production process.

All of the agrochemicals are made with the aim of increasing the agricultural productivity. Fertilizers are used in supplying the nutrients to the plants, hormones help to increase the production of the crops, fungicides, and insecticides are used to kill the insects and pests. Thus the ultimate aim of all of these agrochemicals is to increase the production at any cost.

Advantage of using agrochemicals

1.      Farm chemicals are an economical way of controlling pests, increasing productivity, controlling disease.

2.      Increases the quality of food.

3.      Farm chemicals has caused green revolution in agriculture.

4.     If no farm chemicals were available to control environmental pests like noxious weeds, feral animals, etc, our environment would suffer very badly. Using herbicides to control crop weeds reduces the need for cultivation, thus reducing land degradation.

5.      Use of fertilizer increases the production of crops.

 But these agrochemicals has now caused effects of in agriculture, human health and environment.

Fertilizers:

1.      Storage and application of nitrogen fertilizers can cause emission of green house gases such as NO₂, NH₃ etc.

2.      Nitrate level above 10 gm/L can cause ?blue baby syndrome? in human.

3.      If level of nitrate becomes more in sea and ocean, it cause the rapid growth of algae which disputes the normal functioning of water eco system and fish dies in a process of eutrophication.

4.      Nitrogen fertilizer can also led pest problem by increasing birth rate, longevity and overall fitness of certain pests.

5.      Nitrogen containing inorganic fertilizer in the form of nitrate can also cause soil acidification.

6.      Phosphate fertilizers replace inorganic arsenic naturally found in the soil displacing the heavy metals and causing accumulation in runoff.

Pesticides and insecticides

1.      Non-target organisms, including predators and parasites of pests and insects, can also be affected by chemical application. The reduction of these beneficial organisms can result in changes in the natural biological balances. Losses of honeybees and other pollinating insects can also be a problem.

2.      Resistance to the pesticide and insecticides used can develop in target pests and insects due to overuse and incorrect use of the chemical.

3.      Poisoning hazards and other health effects to operators can occur through excessive exposure if safe handling procedures are not followed and protective clothing not worn. Prolonged exposure to pesticides and insecticides in humans can lead to severe disorders in our reproductive, nervous and immune system PLUS in some cases can even lead to cancer. Exposure to some pesticides can be 'hell' for a pregnant lady as it can easily lead to death of baby and even if the baby is produced will have lots of disorders or even loss of limbs.

4.      Ground water contamination by leached chemicals can occur in high use areas if persistent products are used.

5.      Drift of sprays and vapour during application can cause severe damage and residue problems in crops, livestock, waterways and the general environment.

6.      In China, it's estimated that 500,000 people suffer pesticide poisoning annually, and some 500 of them die.

7.      The consumption of vegetables, fruits and other crops having pesticides, insecticides and other agrochemical leads to many health hazards and may cause cancer.

Each day in US more than 25 million children of age 5 and under who eat a normal diet ingest doses of organic phosphate pesticide that exceeds the environmental protection.(recent analysis of USDA and FAD data)

                   The average apple has 4 pesticides on it after it has been washed and cored.

Hence agrochemical has both positive and negative impacts. So, controlled and scientific use of agrochemical has no alternative.